The Division of Medicinal Chemistry’s First-time Disclosures symposium, where pharmaceutical companies unveil the structures of their clinical candidates for the first time, is sort of like the television singing competition “American Idol.” The firms winnow thousands of potential candidates to a few finalists from whom a victor emerges. The companies’ “top picks” then vie for the audience’s attention on a public stage. Many hurdles remain on the road to fame and fortune, or, in the case of drug candidates, blockbuster status and billion-dollar sales.

At the ACS national meeting in San Diego on Wednesday, symposium attendees got a peek into the development of eight drug candidates from seven different companies, with aims at treating conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and thrombosis, to name a few.